A chronicle of our family's transition to an off-grid, more self-sufficient and eco-friendlier lifestyle, sharing, wherever possible, helpful links and ideas, in order to ease anyone else's journey along this path

"Self-sufficiency does not mean 'going back' to the acceptance of a lower standard of living. On the contrary, it is the striving for a higher standard of living, for food that is organically grown and good, for the good life in pleasant surroundings... and for the satisfaction that comes from doing difficult and intricate jobs well and successfully." John Seymour ~ Self Sufficiency 2003

Friday, 14 January 2011

﻿At 7.15 pm last night we received a telephone call from our neighbour, Roy. Whenever he visits his farm, to make progress on his building, he always goes walkabout - to check on everyone else's property. Eyes and ears - we all do it for each other.

However - the call was bad news.

Between lunchtime last Sunday and last night someone had broken into our little house.

Fearing the worst, RMan and RSon rushed up to the farm, arriving at 11.30pm.

The thieves had broken a small window at the back of the house, by our kitchen door. This space had enabled a very small child to enter, who then went to the one big windows behind the kitchen sink and opened it, allowing his accomplices to forcefully remove the two lowest burglar bars. Through this opening they proceeded to remove:

All, but one, of the baskets containing dried / tinned food, including every scrap of food in the house, as well as all the cutlery and kitchen implements, all the crockery / glasses / mugs and thermos flask, as well as all my casserole dishes, were taken.

My beautiful baskets which worked so well...

My singing kettle...

﻿They did not take the bedding, the cushions / pillows, camping chairs, nor the pots and pans ... and a lot of other things we were expecting to be gone.

After spending until 2.00 a.m. this morning cleaning up the worst of the mess, but still leaving vital evidence / fingerprints intact, RMan and RSon had the police there this morning and they reckon it is the work of kids ... there was a trail of sweet wrappers leading to the back fence.

It could've been a lot worse and the place could've been ransacked and cleaned out! Children who are deprived of an education due to their parents poverty, who are bored and who sniff glue / take drugs and drink, get up to a lot of trouble.

Hunger and unemployment also figure in the equation.

But, for us, the worst thing is that once you have been broken into, the thieves know how hard / easy it is, and they will be back. So RMan and RSon have spent the day trying to fortify our burglar proofing, etc. Not a nice situation - and one which I know is going to give us sleepless nights.

This is just another result of the world-wide recession and it's lingering consequences.

We are now going to have to replace whatever was taken, and that, when times are already so financially tough, is an added burden.

Thankfully, though, we were not there when it happened and were therefore not in any danger, and secondly none of the theives seems to have been hurt - there was no visible blood on the broken window - although RMan could, he said in his first reaction to the news, very happily have shed some had he caught anyone...﻿ I somehow doubt that - he is a gentle man and a gentleman.

I'm so sorry to hear that, what a terrible thing. This type of problem has been happening a lot where we live as well. This is one of the main reasons we decided to get a dog again. I hope you are somehow able to resolve the issue.

Thats not good news at all. But I guess they only took food type stuff and didn't smash up or steal anything else. (Here they would have took anything worth money and smashed everything else).

It is sad because, if they had knocked on the door for something to eat, it would have been a much more pleasant experience for everyone. I guess pride comes into it, but stealing is not on! Times are indeed hard for many people.

Wonder if they "enjoyed" the food they took, maybe they got a tummy ache lol!

Dani, this news has brought tears to my eyes. I'm so sorry to hear this has happened. You're right, it is a sign of the times and just a glimpse of what's to come. I can't imagine the worry you now hold daily knowing someone has been in your little house and might come back. Heartbreaking :o(

Yes Ezra - it's not the possessions that were taken - they are only possessions - it is the invasion of "our space" that has hit at the core. We are going to try and take steps to prevent it from happening again...

Mad dogs - I agree - and would do so in a second - if only we could afford it, financially, and if all the (family owned and run) business requirements were sorted. We're aiming to retire there (to work hard LOL) - and that takes planning :-)

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About me

Married for 36 years to RMan, mum to our two kids, Natasha and Richard, and Nana to my precious grandson, Mike, and new baby granddaughter, Hayley. If you would like to send me an e-mail, please do so to: dani at ecofootprint dot co dot za

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